When it comes to canine skin problems, dog allergies are by far the common cause but unfortunately are extremely hard to diagnose effectively because dog allergy symptoms bear a striking resemblance to those of other aliments and illnesses. Skin allergies can manifest themselves in dogs in a number of ways, anything from dermatitis to ear infections, but they will always tend to affect the whole body in some way.

Dog skin allergies are commonly caused by an adverse reaction to an allergen. An allergen is a substance given off by certain elements of the world around us, including vegetation pollen and food for example. When these elements come into contact with a living being and cannot be neutralized by the body, it provokes an allergic reaction.

The most common forms of skin dog allergies are related to insect and flea bites, food, pollen, fabric, rubber and wooden matter and dust. A dog may be allergic to one or a combination of them. The reaction can be very mild or extremely severe and will almost certainly involve excessive itching. Skin allergies can also manifest themselves in the form of rashes and heat lumps on the surface.

Treatment for these dog allergies can be administered in the form of environmental changes to exclude the source material or medication. Medication and topical creams often provide a short-term relief and clear up an affected area of the skin, but will not prevent the allergy from occurring again. Environmental changes will achieve this instead. Therefore, a mixture of both possible treatments may be in the best interests of your pet. It is all about finding the right solution for him or her to enhance comfort and prevent similar problems further down the line.

To find out more about allergies, their causes and treatments, please take a moment to check out Dealing with Your Dog’s Allergies